There’s this saying: Act like the person you aspire to be.
One of my friends, whom I admire greatly, once told me this, “In your first few years in the workforce, if you’re an associate and aspire to be a manager, watch how the managers dress and behave, and act accordingly. The same goes for a manager aspiring to be a director, or vice-president of a company.” I’ve found great merit in following this advice, as standing on the shoulder of giants helps you to learn their perspective and understand their models for success.
Today’s article is relevant for those starting out in a new company / role, specifically in your first 90 days. I will share more about what senior leaders do to get themselves started in their new company or role, and how you can do the same too! Starting out strong has powerful multiplier effects; you will find yourself thriving in your new role in no time.
Sharing a quote from Michael Watkins, Leadership & Organisational Change Expert, in his book ‘The First 90 Days’, “The first 90 days in a new position are critical because small differences in actions can have a huge impact on long-term results. Failure to create momentum in the first 90 days virtually guarantees an uphill battle for the rest of an executive’s tenure.”
Being in Human Resources as my full-time career, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with senior leaders, observing how they set themselves up for success. In particular, my boss, a veteran in Leadership Development, taught me about the power of one’s “First 90 days” in a new company/role. Under her tutelage, I launched an onboarding program for senior leaders with a few key components. You may be a fresh graduate, or an experienced leader — regardless, I believe this model will act as a booster in your new career!
There are 5 key buckets which you should have a clear understanding by your first 90 days in the new company or role:
- Skills to do the job
- Expectations of the job
- Key Stakeholders in the job
- Systems and Policies
- Culture & Leadership in the business unit/company
These can be achieved through a few key actions (of course, ask your manager/HR Business Partner for help too!):
- Key Activities Map — Map out what you will do week-on-week, for the first 3 months. Do not leave things to chance. Besides your company-planned onboarding, a few differentiating actions you can take are:
- To connect with your team and key stakeholders (more to be shared later)
- Arrange a meeting with your skip-level manager (your boss’s boss!) to understand his/her expectations of you
- Sit with your manager to build your targets and goals for the year/quarter/month
- Introduce yourself to the senior leadership team in your company - Key Stakeholder Map — Map out who your key stakeholders are:
- Your team — immediate team members reporting to you / working closely with you
- Your peer group — the people at the same level as you (e.g. fellow managers if you are a manager). They are an important source of knowledge and expertise!
- Leadership group — your manager’s peers, to help you to increase your visibility
- Other key stakeholders — could be cross-functional leaders or external stakeholders - All-rounded Stakeholder Questionnaire — Seek out your stakeholders and ask them a few pertinent questions.
Examples of questions to ask:
- Business Context: “What are the important things I need to know? What are some main challenges/opportunities of the business currently? Any advice for me? What is the culture of the company/team like? What is one thing you wish you had known when you joined the company/team?”
- Specific Business Area of Stakeholder: “What are some of the important things I need to know about your business? What key relationships should I develop? What are some of your initiatives and big projects ongoing currently? What were some high and low points of your business last year?” - Your Own Questionnaire — Ask yourself these questions to tap on your past experiences and reflect on how you can contribute to the company
- What past experience did you consider to be very critical/valuable and helpful to share with your new team?
- What are your strengths and how do you hope to build them in your time in your new team?
- What are you most passionate about? What motivates and gives you energy at work?
- What do you expect will be challenging as you start this new role?
- What is the most important takeaway and achievement you’d like to accomplish at the end of your stint? - Key Business Meeting Summary — The recurring critical and big meetings that can help you get up to speed
- What are the meetings, their objectives, frequency?
- Write some simple minutes to help you piece the information together
There you have it! If you’re able to touch on these few suggestions and accomplish a few of them, I am sure your onboarding journey will be a fruitful and insightful one. All the best for your new career!
